Going Back to School: Wellness Series (Part 3)

August 20 - Taylor Marshall

Health/Wellness

So the summer is coming to an end. You’ve spent a lot of time basking in the sun, filling your cup (metaphorically and literally), and rejuvenating from the spring frenzy, but now it’s time to get back in the groove. For many, classes are here to take the place of sunny days. For others, a busy fall season is knocking on our door and ignoring the “do not disturb” sign. Either way, the busy season is coming, but I’m here to tell you, this does not have to disrupt your peaceful vibes— we are better and smarter than that. I want to share a few intentional ways that you can apply the feeling of wellness that you’ve created to your busy fall schedule, to transform busy to productive this year.

1. Schedule, schedule, schedule!

I cannot stress this enough! Look at your class schedule— block it off in your calendar. Next, schedule blocks of time to work, study, workout, cook/eat, etc. This will relieve so much stress and give you a feeling of power, because you will know exactly what is going to happen in your week.

How does this manifest wellness? By creating ease. When you eliminate the stress that comes with being in a frenzy, you create space for a feeling of power and control. This replacement reduces the chance of feeling scattered or out of time.

2. Decide how you are going to start your days

Will it be working out? Breakfast time? Studying? Reading?

The act of doing the thing is more important than what the thing actually is. By having one routine that you can depend on to start each and every day, you get to set the tone for each and every day the way you want to.

How does this manifest wellness? By putting the power in your hands. You can control how the day will unfold when you lay the day’s foundation. Things don’t happen to you throughout your day, you make things happen.

3. Put your thoughts on paper

Okay, so this one does take a little bit of time and effort, but it will be well worth it, I promise. At some point in the day, whenever you have a few extra moments, sit down and brain dump. Write down what you are feeling, thinking, doing. How did you feel when you woke up? How was your morning? When was your peak motivation time? When did you hit your slump? What was able to give you an extra boost?

Documenting these crucial moments in your day— along with how you are feeling mentally throughout your day— can help you make connections that will ultimately help you better your routine to fit you. By connecting moments with feelings, and feelings with outcomes, you will be able to determine what’s working and what’s not. This is the art of editing.

Conclusion

Although busy seasons tend to bring frenzy and feelings of disorder, it doesn’t have to be that way. We have the gift of controlling how our lives go, if only we can acknowledge this power. I’m a firm believer that success is a product of applying wellness practices to our real, in-action daily routine. Only then can we connect all the dots and live the way that we want to live.

After all, what’s a better time to test out this mindset than a brand new season of the year?